Roadkill (1989)

Director:

Bruce McDonald

Writers:

Bruce McDonald (story)
Don McKellar (writer)

Release Date:

9 August 1990 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | History

Tagline:

If you want to drive, you have to kill

Plot:

This is an early film by Bruce McDonald filmed on a tiny budget over a few weeks traveling the wilds in Canada...

Plot Keywords:

Road | Cult Favorite | French Revolution | Independent Film

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Valerie Buhagiar	...	Ramona
Gerry Quigley	...	Roy Seth, the Promoter
Larry Hudson	...	Buddy, the Cab Driver
Bruce McDonald	...	Bruce Shack, the Director
Shaun Bowring	...	Mathew, the Weenie-Boy
Don McKellar	...	Russel, the Serial Killer
Mark Tarantino	...	Luke, the 15-Year Old Boy
Jamie Rooney	...	Nature Film Narrator
Peter Morfea	...	Jesus of Toronto
Patricia Sims	...	Corporate Babe
Nazareno Buhagiar	...	Ramona's Father
Giovanna Buhagiar	...	Ramona's Mother
Glen McLaren	...	Gas Station Attendant
Ellen Dean	...	Waitress
Earl Pastko	...	Children of Paradise drums

Also Known As:

Roadkill: Move or Die

Runtime:

80 min | Canada:85 min (Ontario)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-8 | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Ontario, Canada

Company:

Mr. Shack Motion Pictures

Quotes:

Ramona: Russel, are you really a serial killer?
Russel: Well, I've never really killed anyone before, but that's what I'm shooting for. That's my ambition. I know it's a hard profession, and it's a competive field and getting tougher every year. You have to kill about 20 people now before you're taken seriously, But let's face it, what other options do I have? There's not a lot of opportunities up here for social mobility. I mean you can either become a hockey player or take up a life of crime. And I have weak ankles, so there you go.

Movie Connections:

References Doctor Dolittle (1967)

Soundtrack:

It's Saturday Night

Interesting low budget drama

Roadkill is the first feature film from Canadian director Bruce McDonald. I can't profess to know much about him; but his directorial style reminded me of Jim Jarmusch, though this film is more low-key than most of Jarmusch's oeuvre. This film is shot in black and white, and it's clear that the director had only a shoestring budget to work with. The film triumphs over its budget, however, and that's thanks to a constantly interesting script, a rather strange atmosphere and a handful of good ideas. The film takes place in the world of rock and roll and focuses on a young woman named Ramona. Ramona has been sent by her boss, who owns a record company, to track down a lost band named Children of Paradise. Because Ramona can't drive (despite claiming to her boss that she could), she is forced to hire a taxi to drive across the country in search of the missing band. Along the way, she meets a variety of weird and wonderful characters.

The film is very free flowing and it's never obvious where it's going to go next. This is a big asset to the film as it means it stays fresh and interesting for most of the duration. It does feel very raw, mostly owing to the lack of budget and the amateurish feel of the film is complimented by some rather casual performances. The lead role is taken by Valerie Buhagiar, who is not exactly the best actress you're ever likely to see; but actually fits the role well and her performance typifies the film. The film is about rock and roll and as such there's plenty of it featured. I've got to say that most of the songs featured in the film are not my type of music; though a number titled "We Will be the Leaders" by Nash the Slash is rather good. The film has a number of standout scenes that are likely to be remembered once it's finished; and a sequence with an aspiring serial killer is by far the best of them. Overall, this is a rather strange film and surely wont to everyone's tastes; but it's worth a look and I'd recommend it.